March 11, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2004-05) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION R. Steve Huffman Public Information Officer (251) 208-5806/Fax: (251) 208-5813 E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org THREE CHILDREN INJURED IN HOUSE FIRE Three children age's 4-6 received injuries in a house fire, Thursday, March 11, 2004, located at 1214 Mobile Street. The fire was reported by cell phone by an area resident at approximately 8:32 a.m. reporting smoke coming from a house. When firefighters arrived they discovered smoke coming from the one-story wood frame, brick veneer structure and all the children outside with their 15-year-old uncle. Firemedics treated a 5 year old female on the scene with burns to the hands, face and head and transported her to USA Women's and Children's Hospital. A second Mobile Fire-Rescue Unit transported a 4-year-old female and 6 year old male to the same hospital for evaluation for minor smoke inhalation. The fire appears to have originated in the hallway and was contained there by firefighters. There were varying degrees of smoke and heat damage throughout the structure. According to testimony from the 15 year old Uncle, he was asleep in his bedroom and heard the other children crying. He got up and opened the bedroom door to discover fire in the hallway outside his room. He ran to the window and climbed out and ran around the house calling out the children's names. He found his 6-year-old nephew outside in the front yard. The 6-year-old then apparently ran to a neighbor's house and got them to call 911. The uncle then ran around the backside of the house where he discovered his two nieces in the back bedroom. He then opened a window and pulled one child out to safety. The other niece was in the bed with the covers over her head and he called her to thew window where he also pulled her out to safety. The cause of the fire remains under investigation but according to a statement made by the 6-year-old male on of his sisters had "brought the fire from the kitchen". Investigators have thus far found no evidence of anyone cooking and are in the process of trying to conduct interviews with al the children to determine what may have happened. There is no damage estimate at this time. Engines 14, 12, 15, truck 10, rescues 14 and 23 and District 3 Chief P. Randy Smith responded to the call. ###